First Policy Brief of the Monopolies Commission on Pharmaceutical Supply and Mail Order Prohibition

In the first issue of its Policy Brief, the Monopolies Commission explains its proposals for a reform of the remuneration system for prescription medicines and opposes a ban on mail-order sales:

Price fixing for prescription medicines does not adequately take into account the regionally differing conditions for pharmacy supply.

Pharmacies should be allowed to grant discounts on regulated prices up to the amount of the co-payment of legally insured persons. Targeted additional measures can, if necessary, secure local supply.

The mail order business for prescription medicines contributes to the security of supply and should be retained.

The Policy Brief format will supplement the Monopolies Commission’s Main and Special Reports in the future. The aim is to present analyses and recommendations of the Commission in a compact form in the light of current events, e.g. upcoming legislative procedures. The Policy Brief is primarily addressed to political decision-makers, but is also intended to inform science, associations, companies and the interested public briefly about the Commission's positions.

Digitalisation is irreversibly advancing in many areas of the economy. Prices are increasingly set on the basis of algorithms. Streaming services and video portals such as Netflix and YouTube are gaining in popularity and are replacing traditional television more and more. In the supply of medicines, the mail order business increasingly supplements the services of brick and mortar pharmacies. The resulting structural change should be shaped for the benefit of consumers, with fair rules for traditional and new suppliers. In its Biennial Report 2018, the Monopolies Commission therefore recommends adapting the legal framework to the digital change. Today the Monopolies Commission presented its Report to the Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier.